Jason Silva is a media artist and philosopher who is stimulating the consciousness of millions across the world. Through his web series Shots Of Awe, Jason delivers ‘philosophical espresso shots’ that explore the human condition, technology, innovation, the universe, metaphysics, the imagination, the potential of psychedelic drugs, evolution, futurism and much more.
His captivating delivery of perspective shifting ideas, coupled with tantalizing visuals, have seen his ‘trailers for the mind’ amass over 13 million views on Youtube.
Below is a selection of our favorite Shots of Awe. Take a look – you’ll thank us later.
1. Practice Gratitude, Learn To Say Thank You
“Our capacity to find what needs fixing is a gift. What’s not a gift is our overuse of that capacity. We have more than we could ever imagine, more than any other time in human history and yet we always look for a reason to complain.”
2. Nonconformity And The Creative Life
“Remember, those who were dancing were considered insane by those who could not hear the music.”
3. Conquering Our Fear Of Death
“What do we do? We can contemplate infinity, yet at the same time look at ourselves in the mirror everyday and witness our own decay. The human situation is absurd.”
4. Cleansing Our Perception
“We all remember, nostalgically, the intensity of experiencing something for the first time, seeing the world through the eyes of a child.”
5. We’re On The Right Track
“The world is on the right track. It’s not Utopia, but it’s leaning that way. These are data driven facts.”
6. Existential Bummer
“Perhaps the greatest existential bummer of all is entropy… Perhaps that’s why when we are in love, we’re also kind of sad. There’s a kind of sadness to the ecstasy. Sometimes I feel nostalgic over something I haven’t lost yet because I see transience.”
7. Actualizing The Human Imagination
“Our ability to create virtual models in our heads, combined with our modest looking thumbs was sufficient to usher in a secondary force of evolution called technology. It will continue until the entire universe is at our fingertips.”
8. We Need To Be Lost To Find Ourselves
“Isn’t our obsession with the questions itself? Once you find the answer you risk completion. We talk about wanting to find ourselves, but isn’t it more fun to get lost?”
9. The Hero’s Journey
“If you believe, and you are willing to step outside of your comfort zone, life will begin at the edge of your comfort zone.”
10. The Big Picture
“Cultural differences, religion, tribes, nations, race, these are creative expressions and variations that should and could be celebrated. Instead they have become symbols that are all too often used to create suffocating boundaries and they are increasingly ill conceived.”
While Shots of Awe sends ripples through the internet, they are not the only incredible things Jason has created.
Being described by The Atlantic as ‘the Timothy Leary of the viral video age’, Jason is also an Emmy-nominated television host for his role in National Geographic’s #1 rated TV show, Brain Games. He is a prolific and active global speaker, hitting stages at TED conferences, Tribeca Film Festival, Google’s Zeitgeist Conference, and countless other gatherings and incubators across the globe.
Browse the full ‘Shots of Awe’ catalogue on Jason’s Youtube Channel, or visit his website to stay up to date with his other inspiring movements.